Poloniny National Park
Encyclopedia
Poloniny National Park is a national park
in north eastern Slovakia
at the Polish and Ukrainian borders, in the Bukovské vrchy
mountain range, which belongs to the Eastern Carpathians. It was created on 1 October 1997 with a protected area of 298.05 km² and a buffer zone of 109.73 km². Selected areas of the park are included into Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians
UNESCO World Heritage Site
.
in the Prešov Region
. It is adjacent to the Bieszczady National Park
in Poland, together they are part of the East Carpathian Biosphere Reserve
. The highest point lies at AMSL on a point where the borders of Slovakia, Poland and Ukraine meet, near the summit of the mount Kremenec. National Park is the easternmost and the least populated area of the country. Hiking trails starts from several villages, most notably Nová Sedlica but also from Runina
, Topoľa
and Uličské Krivé
.
and beech-fir
forests are dominant. The National Park has the highest concentration of old growth forests in Slovakia, which are protected by national nature reserves. Meadows, called poloniny in Eastern Slovak
dialects, situated on the main ridge of the Bukovské vrchy mountain range are common.
Many species found in the park are endemic and rare. Altogether, 800 fungi and 100 lichens are native to Poloniny. The Poloniny National Park contains about 5,981 known species of invertebrates (for example, 91 molluscs, 1,472 true bugs, 819 butterflies, and 403 spiders) and 294 vertebrates. Vertebrates divide into 13 amphibians, 8 reptiles, 198 birds, 55 mammals, including the Eurasian lynx
, bear
, and others. About 1,000 species of vascular plants have been found in the park. Many of them are endangered and protected. Small herd of wisent
(Bison Bonasus) was reintroduced in the area in 2004.
National Park is open to the public all year with winter (cross-country skiing) as well as summer hiking trails. Besides several mountain trails there is also one connecting outstanding wooden churches from the 18th century in Topoľa
, Uličské Krivé
, and Ruský Potok
.
forests of Havešová, Stužica
, and Rožok (all three areas being in the Bukovské vrchy) were proclaimed by the UNESCO
to be a World Heritage Site
on June 28, 2007 because of their comprehensive and undisturbed ecological patterns and processes. Together with another Slovak site in Vihorlat and additional six in Ukraine they form Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians
. In order to protect the extraordinary value of these forests, only one of them, namely Stužica, is accessible to public.
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
in north eastern Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
at the Polish and Ukrainian borders, in the Bukovské vrchy
Bukovské vrchy
Bukovské vrchy is a flysch mountain range in north-eastern Slovakia, part of the Eastern Beskids and the Ukrainian Carpathians ranges belonging to the Eastern Carpathians....
mountain range, which belongs to the Eastern Carpathians. It was created on 1 October 1997 with a protected area of 298.05 km² and a buffer zone of 109.73 km². Selected areas of the park are included into Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians
Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians
Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and the Ancient Beech Forests of Germany is a transnational composite nature site. The Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians include 10 separate massifs located along the long axis from the Rakhiv mountains and Chornohora ridge in Ukraine over the...
UNESCO World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
.
Location
The park is located in the Snina DistrictSnina District
Snina District is a district inthe Prešov Region of eastern Slovakia.Until 1918, the district was part of the Hungarian county of Zemplín.-Municipalities:*Belá nad Cirochou*Brezovec*Čukalovce*Dlhé nad Cirochou*Dúbrava*Hostovice...
in the Prešov Region
Prešov Region
The Prešov Region is one of the eight Slovak administrative regions. It consists of 13 districts.-Geography:It is located in north-eastern Slovakia and has an area of 8,975 km². The region has diverse types of landscapes occurring in Slovakia, but mostly highlands and hilly lands dominate the...
. It is adjacent to the Bieszczady National Park
Bieszczady National Park
Bieszczady National Park is the third largest National Park in Poland, located in Subcarpathian Voivodeship in the extreme south-east corner of the country, bordering Slovakia and Ukraine....
in Poland, together they are part of the East Carpathian Biosphere Reserve
East Carpathian Biosphere Reserve
The East Carpathian Biosphere Reserve is a transboundary protected area, designated as an area of global importance under UNESCO's Programme on Man and the Biosphere. It is located in the Eastern Carpathians and includes parts of three countries: Poland, Slovakia and Ukraine...
. The highest point lies at AMSL on a point where the borders of Slovakia, Poland and Ukraine meet, near the summit of the mount Kremenec. National Park is the easternmost and the least populated area of the country. Hiking trails starts from several villages, most notably Nová Sedlica but also from Runina
Runina
Runina is a village and municipality in Snina District in the Prešov Region of north-eastern Slovakia. The first written reference of the village dates back to 1569. The municipality lies at an altitude of 550 metres and covers an area of 22.198 km²...
, Topoľa
Topola
Topola is a town and municipality situated in the Šumadija region of Serbia. It was the place where Karađorđe, a Serbian revolutionary, was chosen as the leader of the First Serbian Uprising against the Ottoman Empire in 1804. The local St...
and Uličské Krivé
Ulicské Krivé
Uličské Krivé is a village and municipality in Snina District in the Prešov Region of north-eastern Slovakia. In historical records the village was first mentioned in 1478. The municipality lies at an altitude of 285 metres and covers an area of 19.132km²...
.
Biology and ecology
Forests cover about 80% of the area; beechBeech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
and beech-fir
Fir
Firs are a genus of 48–55 species of evergreen conifers in the family Pinaceae. They are found through much of North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, occurring in mountains over most of the range...
forests are dominant. The National Park has the highest concentration of old growth forests in Slovakia, which are protected by national nature reserves. Meadows, called poloniny in Eastern Slovak
Slovak language
Slovak , is an Indo-European language that belongs to the West Slavic languages .Slovak is the official language of Slovakia, where it is spoken by 5 million people...
dialects, situated on the main ridge of the Bukovské vrchy mountain range are common.
Eurasian Lynx
The Eurasian lynx is a medium-sized cat native to European and Siberian forests, South Asia and East Asia. It is also known as the European lynx, common lynx, the northern lynx, and the Siberian or Russian lynx...
, bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
, and others. About 1,000 species of vascular plants have been found in the park. Many of them are endangered and protected. Small herd of wisent
Wisent
The wisent , Bison bonasus, also known as the European bison or European wood bison, is a species of Eurasian bison. It is the heaviest surviving land animal in Europe; a typical wisent is about long, not counting a tail of long, and tall. Weight typically can range from , with an occasional big...
(Bison Bonasus) was reintroduced in the area in 2004.
Tourism
Topola
Topola is a town and municipality situated in the Šumadija region of Serbia. It was the place where Karađorđe, a Serbian revolutionary, was chosen as the leader of the First Serbian Uprising against the Ottoman Empire in 1804. The local St...
, Uličské Krivé
Ulicské Krivé
Uličské Krivé is a village and municipality in Snina District in the Prešov Region of north-eastern Slovakia. In historical records the village was first mentioned in 1478. The municipality lies at an altitude of 285 metres and covers an area of 19.132km²...
, and Ruský Potok
Ruský Potok
Ruský Potok is a village and municipality in Snina District in the Prešov Region of north-eastern Slovakia. In historical records the village was first mentioned in 1635...
.
World Heritage Site
The primeval beechBeech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
forests of Havešová, Stužica
Stužica
Stužica is a uniquely preserved and undisturbed primeval beech forest of the Eastern Carpathians range. It is located in Slovakia and borders with Poland and Ukraine. The forest has been protected since 1908 and in 1993 the area was upgraded to a National Nature Reserve. In 2007 Stužica and several...
, and Rožok (all three areas being in the Bukovské vrchy) were proclaimed by the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
to be a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
on June 28, 2007 because of their comprehensive and undisturbed ecological patterns and processes. Together with another Slovak site in Vihorlat and additional six in Ukraine they form Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians
Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians
Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and the Ancient Beech Forests of Germany is a transnational composite nature site. The Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians include 10 separate massifs located along the long axis from the Rakhiv mountains and Chornohora ridge in Ukraine over the...
. In order to protect the extraordinary value of these forests, only one of them, namely Stužica, is accessible to public.